Testing the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette’s Look-At-Me Factor

Driving a Chevrolet Corvette has always been, in part, a cry for attention.

Sure, it is a fast, sophisticated and surprisingly fuel-efficient car. The latest 2014 version, with up to 460 horsepower and 29 miles per gallon, is a technical wonder. The sleek two-seater is also arguably the best at what it does, outperforming even Porsches and Ferraris in certain categories for certain buyers.

The car’s numbers, including eight cylinders, seven gears, a top speed of 190 miles per hour and zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, may be material for cocktail-party chat, but the real reason people buy Corvettes is for the look-at-me factor. It really is a factor — a variable element of a vehicle’s overall driving experience. In the new Corvette, it could be too high for some drivers.